Rift Valley Junior Schools hoping for good show in Thika

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Rift Valley Junior Schools are set for the national games that will kick off in Thika next month after the conclusion of action-packed regional competitions in Nakuru.

Trans Nzoia Junior Schools such as Nabunga and Kisawai are eyeing strong performance at the national stage after claiming their national crowns at the finals of the regional games on Wednesday.

Nabunga took the girls and boys Rift Valley handball titles while Kisawai girls and boys are set to represent the region in netball.

Uasin Gishu’s Soin Comprehensive will be representing Rift Valley after winning the regional volleyball trophy.

Bishop Muge of Nandi will be carrying the region’s hopes of sailing to the East Africa Games in the girls category.

However, a dispute emerged in the girls football after Uasin Gishu’s Hill School protested Totum (West Pokot) victory at the Rift Valley finals.

Hill School lodged a formal complaint, after alleging ineligibility of four of Totum’s players in the just concluded Rift Valley Primary and Junior Schools ball games.

Totum Comprehensive had claimed the girls football crown after a 4-2 victory on penalties following a 1-1 tense draw in regulation time.

The final was a closely fought battle with Totum scoring a very quick goal in the first minute of the match.

Hill School replied through midfield maestro Mitchell Emuron in the fifth minute.

The evenly contested match ended 1-1 at full time and stayed deadlocked at extra time prompting penalty shootouts. The defending champions Totum reigned supreme, winning 4-2.

However, Hill School had launched a protest before the match with allegations of Totum fielding ineligible players.

Their coach, Jean Soita made an appeal immediately the game ended. The verdict is set to be determined by Tuesday.

On their route to the finals, Hill School defeated Baringo’s Marigat JS 2-0, Kimugun School from Kericho 2-1 and Kajiado 1-0 to top their pool.

They battled Bomet in the quarter-finals and triumphed 1-0 before outsmarting a tough Mufutu JS from Trans Nzoia 1-0 to book a finals date with Totum.

“The Hill School technical bench is optimistic their appeal will be looked into and justice served. They submitted substantive evidence and are sure justice will prevail for the rightful pupils are none other than The Hill School Eldoret,” said Soita.

He said his side will be relying on photo evidence and records to demonstrate Totum players’ ineligibility.

His side had put up a glorious campaign through the Uasin Gishu Primary and Junior Schools Games, scoring 51 goals and conceding only two in their race to qualify for the regional games.

However, Totum, which played at the East Africa Games last year, asked Hill School to accept defeat.

Coach Mildred Yaraita dismissed claims of fielding ineligible players in her squad.

“At first, they claimed that our players were ineligible and showed us pictures of previous games played in Narok. We wish to tell them that we followed the rules and we won clean. We are back to training as we prepare for the national games,” Yaraita said.